Follower retainer for napkin dispensers



Aug. 19, 1947. E. AGAMAITE, JR

FOLLWER RETAINER FOR NAPKIN DISPENSERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed nel 2,194e INvENo ldwardgmzk! BY E. AGAMAITE, JR

FOLLOWER RETAINER FOR NAPKIN DISPIINSEI'ISl Aug. 19, 1947.

Filed Feb. '26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR Mwazdffyamw'ig ATToRNEYsPatented Aug. 19, 1947 FOLLOWER RETAINER FOR NAPKIN DISPENSERS EdwardAgamaite, Jr., Green Bay, Wis., assigner to Fort Howard Paper Company,Green Bay, 4Wis., a corporation of Wisconsinv Application February 26,1946, Serial No. 650,237

(Cl. S12-62) 5 Claims. 1

The invention relates'to napkin dispensers and has as an object theprovision of a dispenser having a lid which may be opened forreplenishing of napkins and means controlled by the lid to hold afollower in retracted position while the napkins are being replenished.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device ofthecharacter referred to having means to cause the lid to be automaticallylifted when it is unlatched to be accessible for further opening.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispenser havingmeans projecting at one side of the dispensing slot to cause the end ofthe napkin to be removed, to project in an accessible position.

Further objects will appear from the following description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings showing an illustrativeembodiment of the invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section showing the device with the lidopen;

Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 3 3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the structure of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a portion of the lid open and in sectionand broken away to shorten the figure.

As shown, the device comprises a drawer type dispenser' comprising acasing I0 which may be utilized by itself or in conjunction with otherlike elements bolted together.

The casing I provides a front panel II having a dispensing Slot I2 withan outstanding lip I3 above the slot to cause the projecting end I 4 ofa napkin in dispensing position to stand at an angle to the front panelII as indicated in Figures 1 and 4.

The front panel is internally formed with a curved plate I to cause thestack of napkins to bulge forwardly whereby the projecting ends I4 ofnapkins in dispensing position will be more readily positioned when anapkin is withdrawn from an interleaved type of package.

The device comprises a :follower plate I6 having a guide plate I1traveling in a slot I 3 in the side wall of the dispenser, the plate I'Iprojecting into hollow walls I9, 26 and operated by spring means of thenature shown in Patent 2,085,479. The spaced side walls comprising thehollow wall I9 may be secured to each other by means of bolts 2I. Itwill be seen that the bolts 2| at one side of the structure shown inFigure 1 may be removed, a second casing of the same character may be.placed with the outer walls of the contiguous casings in contact andlonger bolts 2I may be used to connect the two casings together.

The lid 22 of the device is shown as hinged at 23 to the body of thecasing and may be retained in closed position by means of a latch 24accessible to a finger placed in said opening 25 to press upon thelinger piece 26 to unlatch the lid. When the lid is thus unlatched itwill be automatically lifted by a spring pressed bolt 21 to the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 whereby the front edge of the lid isaccessible for lifting thereof to the open position shown in Fig. 2.

With the lid thus lifted, the follower plate I6 may be forced to therear against the action of the spring feed mechanism, not shown,whereupon the sloping end 28 of a hook 29 carried by a link 30 pivotlyconnected at 3l to the lid 22, as by means of a perforated ear 32. Thelink 30 as shown is guided in its movements by passing the same throughan opening in an angle 33 secured at 34 to the rear wall of the casing.When the lid is lifted and the follower plate I6 forced to the rear tothe position shown in Fig. 2, the hooked end 28 Will enter an opening 35in the guide plate II to retain the follower plate in its rearmostposition while napkins are replenished.

When the lid is then lowered and the hook 29 pressed to the positionshown in Fig. 4, the follower plate I6 will be released and will be freeto yield to the spring feed mechanism.

It will be seen that the link 30 performs the double function ofrestraining the follower and of preventing excess movement of the lidabout its hinge while holding the lid open. Obviously more than one link30 may be used.

The casing is shown as provided with longitudinal ribs 35, 36 upon itsbottom to lessen the friction of napkins in their travel toward thefront of the container.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the inventionwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a napkin dispenser of the type including an elongated casinghaving a lid hinged to one end Wall, a dispensing opening in theremaining end wall and a follower yieldingly urged toward the dischargeopening: a rigid member projecting rearwardly from said follower andformed with an opening; a rigid member projecting forwardly from saidone end andl formed with an opening; rigid means coacting with saidopenings to interlock said rigid members with the follower in itsrearmost position; and means actuated by movement of the cover to openposition, acting to move said rigid means to member interlockingposition.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein ysaid rigid means is U-shaped withan upstanding leg engaging said openings when in locking position.

3, The combination of claim 1 in which 'the interlock actuating means ispivotally connected to the cover, closely adjacent the hinge thereo'.

4. In a napkin dispenser of the type including a follower yieldinglyurged 'toward `a dispensing opening in a dispenser casing, and includinga hinged lid: a link pivoted on said lid and depending into said casing;an eye secured insaid casing through which said link reciprocates yasthe lid is moved about its hinge; a hook carried by said REFERENCESCITED The following references are of record in the -le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Morris -4 Feb, 2, 1937 Number

